Variety (Oct 1937)

52 VARIETY BURLESQUE Wednesday^ October 13, 1937 Burlesque Looks All Washed Up After 50 Years; History of Its Decadence Burlesque Reviews By EFES Vf. SARGENT - With the season now under way, It is beginning to look as though burlesque is definitely on its way out.. Burlesque was given ano.ther chance on its promise to clean up and keep its nose wiped. Instead of ihaking an honest effort to change form and replace smut with a more intelligent form of entertainment, the producers, blind to opportunity and still clinging to their faith in . exposure, are trying instead to see how closely they may .approach the old standards. Strips are still in, but modified, a few expletives have been removed from the standard, bits, but they are Still the same old bits Pretty soon, emboldened by their success ' in getting away with it, someone is going to step over the border and, just for that they'll all get oil. There is -no evidence any- where of a genuine efEort to improve upon opportunity. It has taken burlesque about 50 years to run its course, with an additional five years or so for its der.th agonies. Until the early Ws variety'shows wer6 pretty much the same, except .oti the Pacific Coast, - where at the Bella Union; "In San ' Francisco, they made a virtue^'of nec- • essity and offered triavesty, cheap farce and extended afterpieces. Almost uniformly a show consisted ' of six or eight acts and an after- piece. The acts were booked in and following the music rehearsal the company would go into a huddle. Almost always there was some lead- ing spirit who elected himself stage manager." They would ascertain from the stage staff what afterpieces h^td lately been used and then would se- lect from a rather long list some piece not recently done. Often there was not even .a rehearsal. Acts were supposed to be up in all the standard afterpieces, and the stage manager Viroiild assign the parts and let it go at that. There were no books, and versions differed slightly, but any actor could .ad lib to a strange line. He had to be able to. Then Ida Simmons, who toured under the management of her.father, . conceived the idea of working from . « , book. Lydia Thompson had re- cently been a visitor to this country with travesties' of classical stories. The idea , was taken over and the country was liberally sprinkled with the British Blondes troupes. It was the Simmons idea to use plenty of girls, a couple of comedians and a fore ^nd aft bitirlesque with the olio in between, in place of the afterpiece whtfch then closed most shows. The idea clicked. She played to packed houses everywhere. Tony Pastor, in . his spring and fall tours, stuck to the old formula, as later on did .Weber and Fields and Bob Irwin, but most shows followed the new pattern of an opener and closer,' with specialties in between. Travesty . Sometimes the opening was the first act of a two-part burlesque. More often there was no relation be- tween the two. The stuff ^as mostly travesty, bften written in doggerel rhyme. Gradually the shows became sitandardized. They were often as not written around an idea ahd then built up with bits. Ideas might be drawn from current drama, but even there the comedians would inject the bits that had proven hits in the show with which they had played the pre- vious season. Others had other sug- gestions, and gradually the skimpy book would be built up. To example, Harry Morris one year offered a really clever travesty on the then new 'Cyrano de Bergerac' for his clojer, but his opener had no more fiu'jitance than the idea of a sport- ing club for women with the climax a s:.ries of boxing bouts between the girls. That was all he had to start with—that and a good memory. But he made a spirited opener out of it, and it packed the laughs. Harry Miner's Free Ad Often some current Broadway hit would suggest an idea to half a do7.2n burlesque producers. The suc- cess of 'The Turtle' for instance, brought about a dozen shows all basod on the idea of a bottle of brandy broken in the water cooler. One of the Harry Miner shows used this basis, but Miner was also in the dru^;. business and the botlle that w. ; bi-oken was his well advertised ' ex-.ract- of damiana, offered as a •»irU>ty restorer^ It Vps a flrie' ad- vertisement for the nostrum and it afforded the comedians plenty of opportunity. Now and then something really good would be dug up, such as Harry Morris' 'A Night On Broad- way,' which he found ih a Berlin suburban theatre, beating a Broad-, way manager to it by about 24 houirs. There were a few other book shows that were so good they did not re- quire building up with standard bits. BvLti in general, the shows followed pretty much the same patterns year after year. The charm, such as. it. was, arose from the free-and-easy manner in which the comics carried off. their parts. Many of them were really clever, working into the Broadwiay shows eventually. There was noth- ing subtle to the humor, nor much refinement, though ibr the most part the shows were much cleaner than the latter day product. It' was all elemental,, fully understandable to the low intelligence quotients of the people who flocked to, this type of show, ahd plenty of it' was reaUy funny. Then several things hit burlesque, chief of which was the wheel idea. The wheels, particularly the Co- lumbia cii'cuit, decided that biirley needed to be spruced up. It was. It was improved until It became a third-rate copy of a second-rato nusical comedy, losing most of its character, all of its .tang and replac- ing rowdy humor with suggestion too thinly veiled. The Bnnway—And the Mlnskys From the Ziegfeld shows burlesque got the idea of the ruhway. In the Ziegfeld shows this was done with taste and discretion. In burley it was done with wholeheartedness and an utter absence of the saving grace of refinement. In the same way Mistinguette's disrobing act, poetical and spectacular, degenerated, even- tually into the strip-tease Vrithout the slightest 'charm of suggestion and with nothing whatever left to the imagination. That is where bur- lesque started for the slide. It could adapt the Broadway ideas, but did it in the Bowery manner. And if the nudity could draw—and it did for a time—there was no need of paying the higher prices the better come- dians demanded. Cheaper comics could come out and stall for a few minutes for half the salary. Bur- lesque ceased to be funny and came to rely wholly on smut. Came the time when one undress- ing was not sufficient. They put in two and then four, then six. ^ey stripped the chorus. They finally reached the point where it was no longer possible to spur jaded appe- tites with flesh appeal. Then came the Minskys and the deluge. Probably a reversion to the old style burlesque would not prove the answer, It would have to be given a more modem application. . The travesties would have to be more smartly written, the production and lighting effects vastly improved and new comedians must be had. That's the rub.. Where will the new crop of comedians come from? And the new writers? Girls can still be had, but a real burlesque needs more than girls. The Old comics are mostly in radio—at least the good' ones are. fiook writers long ago passed but. Perhaps in some happier day the ide^ will come back in some slightly different form, but right now burlesque is in the position of the small boy who-was going to -wash his face but lost the soap, it looks hopeless. ... RURLESKOKIN N.Y. STALLED TIL NOV. 2 Burley houses ih Greater New York have run the span of their three-month probationary licenses is- sued last July and which expired this week (11). ,No renewals have been made but hoitste will be per- mitted to stay open indefinitely on probation. Figured that the new li- censes will not be issued until after Election Day (Nov. 2), if at all. Understood the same civic and re- ligious groups that opposed burley last may have again filed complaints with License Commissioner Paul Moses, who will probably hold a session of hearings before issuing lir censes which would run for a year.. Burley ops are optimistic about it all, however, figuring the delay a good omen. This despite the state- ment of Mayor La Guardia some weeks back that licenses 'would not be renewed. Commissioner Moss then and now claims he has received no official memorandum of any sort f^om the Mayor anent the issuing oit licenses to currently-operating houses. House ops are not only sanguine about getting the renewals but are optimistic about having the former burley classification restored. If and when that happens'it is figured to hypo the b.o. take all around. Mayor's special censoring com- mittee waS' reported favoring the change back to burlesque but seem- ingly lost interest when the Variety Managers Association called a star chamber session some weeks ago without either consulting or invit- ng the committee to sit in. APOLLO, N. Y. Current show is tagged 'Parisian Follies,' and, like others, is Under wraps with a vengeance, leaving no fault to be found against renewal of license. Has plenty . of chest ..un- drapery, fast dancing, numbers taste- fully costumed, but is liotably weak in the giggle division. With burley, under wraps as it h9S been for the last fortnight, it. would seem that producers here and elsewhere would tumble that a few rollicking comedy scenes would not be amiss as spacers for the monotonous succession- of dance ensembles find undraped tableaux. Producers' alibi is 'Where are the comics?' and after that 'Where are the gag writers?'. Both are still to be hM for a price. But a little scouting is necessary and badly needed now that. the under-wraps policy no longer snares the mioroh patronage. If they want the other kind, they'll have to give them a show for the coin. As burlesque goes, this house has done more than others airound to resuscitate burley beyond popular classification, as 'the sewer of show business.' ' It has tried all manner of uplift to no avail, but is compelled to revert to stock stuff to keep up in competition. Current week's show is a fair example. Frank X, Silk and 'Slats' Taylor' are as capable a ' brace of comics as left in burlesqued With the anemic material currently em- ployed, they seldom get to first base. As bad as the skits are,.^,the over- milking makes them worse and the general effect is pathetic. As spotted, the comics' only service is that of permitting the chorines to- catch their breath between numbers, Georgia Sothem, dynamic ted- hcad, doe's okay as featured stripper, prefacing her, peel with a lyric about a. Park avenue deb out for a lark, which goes better than just a cold toss of her togs. She, too, works too long before the brassiere toss that the palmwhackers have blistered and let her go" after the half-way strip. Comedy bits handled by Silk, Tay- lor, and Floyd Hallicy, latter alter- nating as straight for the comics,- are very much of the released variety and n.s.g. Mirhl "Reed, looker and aero dancer, practically cops show honors with a brace of dances that are tops both in execution and ap- plause results. Joan Dare also con- tribs a neat peeloff, while Annette Ross led several numbers with the girl ensemble punctuating her vocals with some neat tap 'terps. ' Chorines, mostly good lookers, give, the only zip it has through better than usual dancing and the chest undraperles. Although ratine favorably with other hurleys around it looks like they'll have to give them comedy or else. Low grosses and indifferent audiences tells it all. HOT PEPPER REVUE <GBAND, CANTON) Canton, Oct. 8. Turnaway business greeted the re- turn of stock burlesque to the Grand Oper? house here when Bob B3urch, who has sponsored this type of entertainment here for the last three seasons, Unyeiled latest efforts in the form of a fast bur- lesque-vaudeville bill packing a lot Of entertainmeht.. Easily Burch's most aixibitious start. Majority of the principals are vet- erans, who keep the show , moving. Chorus is young and can really step, routines scoring heavily at the open- ing bill. Two standard vaude turns bolstered the initial program, an in- no-vation-here that is likely to prove popular. . Wardrobe is> better than the average, and time has been given to staging details. Excellent pit band provides the muse, minus the usual tin Dan scores. Although there are several spots which are risque (mostly the lines of the comics)^ the show for the most part is light on the filth so common in present-day bwley. Patrons seem to appreciate the fact that Burch is making an effort to clean it up. Outstanding on the bill is Zorita's snake dance, oriental number in which shie. fondles a live snake. Al- though a weird turn, it is a novelty, and sends the natives home tallcing. Lupe 'Valeu'S Mex dance numbers are capably done, she being the only other stripper. Gertie .Beck's 'Broad- way' number is a highlight. Comedy is in the capable hands of two veterans, I. B. Hamp.'and Bimbo Davis, both . favorites here. Have some new' stuff, and Hamp's rapid conversation keeps his listener's laughing. Davis' funny antics fit in with Hamp's toomfoolery. Ranee and Gordon, singing team, back again, ■ register well with new season patrons.- Ray Dean has an oke tenor voice: Ray Kolb, an- other veteran, helps with his make- ups. HarVey' Curzon did the dance routines. Shockley Sisters offer a soft shoes dance specialty, and come back in the second a'ct to repeat their success with an acrobatic nov- elty^ Carol Dean scores with a high kick control routine. Performances will be offered nightly with three mats week^ and the usual midnight ramble. MocJc. Afiollo, N. Y., Curtain Delayed Due To Slow Payoff; Rurley Riz NSG Burlesque houses which have been employing stagger system payoffs drew the attention of the American Federation of Actors, the latter hold- ing the curtain Thursday night (7) at the Apollo, N. Y., until full sal- aries were paid for the previous week. Mrs. Wilner, who operates house in association with husband. Max Wilner, got in touch with the latter in Philadelphia, where he op- erates the Shubert with stock hur- ley. After the assurance the money would be wired, the show .was per- mitted to proceed. In addition to the payoff after the coin arrived, the AFA demanded that the Wilners post security for current week's salaries. That wa.^ done. At the Irving Place, downtown N. Y., also operating with stock burley and also reported paying off short, several of the principals walked after the show Thursday night (7), claiming the management was indebted to them on short pay- offs for several weeks. Latter were principals who had been receiving 2/3 of regular salary, with i.o.u.'s for the rest, payable "~^when business picked up. Eddie Kaplan, comic, and Dagmar, dancer, were among the principals vamoosing, but neither -^has yet lodged complaints with the AFA. •■ ' • It's an open secret that practically all of the hurleys have been hit hard financially since reopening last July sans the former burley classification and with shows under wraps. It is estimated that-'hurley house op- erators around New York have dropped $150,000 trying to snare them past the wickets with the re- vamped, hybrid shows as prescribed by the censors. But without success. Several are about ready to toss up the sponge, but have been digging deeper weekly hoping to get a break from downtown modification of reg- ulations. That has not developed thus far. Hirst Circuit Week of Oct. 17 'Scan DoIlH'—HucJ.Mon, X'nion C'ilv. 'Mci-ry models'—Howard, ftoston: 'Habes With Charms'—Troc. Philadel- plilu. 'Jolles BpBere'—Gayety, -Wasblngion. .sLajfe SciinUals'—Gayety. llalilmore. 'Hcef Trust'—Capitol, Toledo, 'Gfiitlps ot 19.18'—Gayety, CInclnnall. f'upid a Carnival'—Casino, Pitlsburirh. 'Krl.sky Frollos'—Garrick, St. I.oul.s. '.Swing High' Shake Low'-Kialto, Chl- I'fl K». '.-Moot the Girls'—Cu.<ilno, Toronto, 'JMrate Helios'—Embaasv, Uochoster. ■I-'oot I.,ooKe .Parade'—Kniplre, Newark. 'JMoasure Mad'—Jacfiue.«, -WHterburv. 'PUKeant of Folly'—Lyrle, Allenlown, Mon.-Tuea.; Orpheum. ReaOlng, Tliura.T ,E()rl, Atlixntlc 0ity, Frl.-Sat.-Sm>. Mussolini (Continued from page 5) be a simple matter of paying for them and shelving them as' if he were a syndicated chatter-writer selling in Hollywood, but they would have to be shot, or the producer would be. In the end, it became obvious that there would be no money in making pictures in Rome for anybody in Hollywood, and so Hal Roach sadly reached for the dinner check and called it a day. Failure of the Roach and Mussolini (RAM) combo to jell is believed here to reflect adverse Hollywood reaction to the idea. While Roach has put out no detailed explanation of how and why the negotiations broke down, guarded utterances from the producer lend m. 2h color to the opinion that he was loath to buck the anti-Fascist feeling that is pretty generally widespread in the film cap- ital. Roach Staying Home Roach went to the airport with Mussolini and saw him off but with no fanfare. Subsequently, Roach ad- mitted that he ba.s offed his trip to Italy on RAM biz and will 'remain here indefinitely, held by his own production and business affairs.' Hollywood made no attempt to conceal its hostility toward the Mus- solini sprig. Reactions of.film hot- heads were given definite expression in advertisements in the trade press seemingly with the. desired effect of causing Roach to take thought as to whether he was pursuing a prudent course in aligning himself with II Duce. He finally reached his deci- sion to cut loose entirely on his own, with no moral suasion from Metro, with which corporation he has a re- leasing deal. Mussolini Is Told Strong pressure from within the industry resulted in Roach ultimately calling young Mussolini in and frankly telling him and representa- tives of the Italian government that the production deal , would have to be nixed.^ Mussolini flew to San Francisco ;'to remain, a day . .and planned to go to Washington and New York from there. Roach came out of the deal shy the coin he posted in Italy for his share of the capital expenses but fig- ures he came out on the long end because of the blast of world pub- licity he rolled up as the result of his brief connection with II Duce. Suit asking $30,000 damages was filed in Los Angeles last week against Hal Roach, the Roach Corp., Metro, two John Does and two John Doe corporations by Dr. Renato Senise, who charges he originated the idea of filming Italian grand operas with Italian talent and Holly- wood technicians. . Senise says he is a founder of Roach and Mussolini's RAM Corp., which "was to produce the pictures, but he aced out of the setup after being promised a share of the take as business manager for Italy. Sen- ise's father was 'Vincenzo Senise, director general of the Royal Italian Opera House. Garfield (Continued from page 1) ment that is virtually sure of span- ning the new season to take a chance in the untried 'Manly Art.' Lyceum engagement is indefinite, 'Time' now being in its ninth month and draw- ing profitably. Road dates have not yet been set. Group Theatre got into difficulties last season and dissolved, but some of its. members banded together again. Clifford Odets, the Group's outstanding author, had gone Holly- wood but turned out the new play first called 'Golden Gloves.' a prize- fighter's story. Organization is re- garded as somewhat radical. Its working arrangement calls for pay- ment of the minimum salary but at the end of the season profits are di- vided if there is enough coin over the reserve. Garfield had the male lead in 'Time' since opening, playing oppo- site Katherine Locke and later Syl- via Fox. When the latter withdrew recently he was opposite Helen Golden. Cast changes appear not to have affected the play's draw. New male Wad is-Curl Conway.